Florida’s Population Growth!

Posted by R_yn5_@_ul on

Good Day All, 

Did you know that the State of Florida’s population grows by about 906 new residents daily? This is such a positive thing for our economy and real estate market. Check out this article that Florida Realtors posted! 

https://www2.floridarealtors.org/news-media/news-articles/2019/08/florida-housing-market-median-prices-inventory-2q

If you have given any consideration to selling your home now is a great time! Sellers market! Please let me know if I can help in anyway. 

(352) 577-9171 or Info@Search352Homes.com 

Homebuyers in a tough market!

Posted by R_yn5_@_ul on

Good Day All, 

I hope everyone is having a great week! If you’re a buyer looking for a home or possibly thinking of purchasing a home soon, than this is a post for you! Today’s real estate market is in favor of the sellers. Inventory is low and buyers have to be aggressive. Use these few tips to make sure house shopping is a success for you! 

Pre-Approval – The first step for you is to get pre-approved. Reach out to a local real estate expert and they will help you get in contact with a local lender that is experienced and also knows the importance of being aggressive in todays market. 

Love Letter – This may sound like a crazy idea, but I’ve seen it work! Write a letter to the sellers explaining why you love their home and your goals for the property (raising a family, remodeling, etc.) 

Be flexible – Understand right now that you’re not going to get everything you want. Be flexible, give and take and listen to what your real estate professional is telling you. 

Not so popular listings – Consider a listing that has been on the market a while or may not be as attractive as a new listing. Often if you can find a property that has been on the market a while, it will help keep you out of bidding wars and you may end up getting a better deal in the long run. 

I hope you find these tips helpful! As always, please contact Rountree Realty for all of your Marion and Putnam County real estate needs! (352) 577-9171 or Info@Search352Homes.com 

 

 

Time for a Contest & Giveaway!!

Posted by R_yn5_@_ul on

Happy Friday Everyone!! 

We have another contest for you and the winner will win a Dunkin Donuts Gift Card!! 

I understand that it is very stressful for a homeowner or home buyers to hire and choose the right Realtor for them! Below are 5 things I think you should consider when hiring a Realtor. 

Marketing Post

[Show slideshow]
  1. Experience 
  2. Personality 
  3. Reviews 
  4. Marketing Strategy 
  5. Local Expertise of the Area 

Which one of these is most important to you when hiring a Realtor? All you have to do is leave a comment on my Facebook post regarding this topic and your name with go in a drawing for a Dunkin Donuts Gift Card!! >>> www.Facebook.com/RountreeRealty 

Winner will be announced next week on Facebook!! Stay tuned for more contest and giveaways!! 

Advantage to Listing Your Home After the New Year!

Posted by R_yn5_@_ul on

 

Good Day All, 

I hope everyone is having a great week!! Can you believe that it is almost December 1st? The countdown to Christmas is here!! This may surprise you that a Realtor is telling you this, but now is NOT the time to list your home! I know it’s a shocker, but below are a few reasons why you want to wait and list your home for sale after the New Year. 

  • Holiday Décor – I know we all like to have our homes decorated for the holidays! Honestly though the last thing you want in your homes pictures and in your home while buyers are looking is Christmas tree’s, Santa Clause all over the place, the home plastered in green and red, etc. Wait until after Christmas, put the décor away, clean and be ready to impress buyers!! 
  • Timing – Most people list their home for sale in the Spring time. Listing your home right after the new year makes your home stand out and not get lost in the flood of homes listed in the spring. Plus, hopefully you will be under contract and moving in the spring instead of just getting the process started. 
  • Ring, Ring Ring – Realtor’s phones, emails and all forms of communication is typically very slow in December. Which means buyers are typically waiting until after the holidays to purchase a home. Listing in January means they will be waiting to see your home verses having it sit on the market in December with very to no activity. 
  • Tax Time – Often at the end of the year people start to look at their taxes, financial situation, etc. and plan for the next year! Having your home fresh on the market in January is ideal for people getting a head start on 2019! 

I hope you find this information helpful!! Just remember list with me in January, but call me today so we can get a plan together!

Call/Text (352) 577-9171 or Email Info@Search352Homes.com 

 

Summertime Spruce Up!

Posted by R_yn5_@_ul on

 

Good Day All, 

It’s officially Summer in Florida which is great time to spruce up around your home! Whether you might have plans to sell your home, or just want to make some improvements, below is a list of some very important issues to be considered: 

Exterior

  • Pressure Washing- First impressions are made from exterior views and this is a great way to make your home appealing to the human eye.
  • Fresh Coat of Paint- Change the color of your front door and/or shutters to make a new statement! Remember, the front door is the main point of entry. 
  • Landscape- Keep grass and plants maintained regularly and add some color to your property with some affordable flowers.  
  • Light Fixtures- Change out old, rusty light fixtures with new updated fixtures! 

Interior

  • Air Vents- Clean out air vents and air returns for more efficient air flow! 
  • Filters- Change out A/C, water and any other filters you may have in your home!
  • Clean Baseboards and Trim- Clean baseboards and trim! Freshen up with a new coat of white paint if needed! 
  • Professional Floor Cleaning- Hire a professional and have hardwoods, carpet, tile and grout professionally cleaned! 

I hope you find these ideas helpful! As always, if you have any questions or if we can help in anyway, please reach out to Rountree Realty! (352) 577-9171 or info@search352homes.com 

3 Things to Know about the Marion County, Florida Sales Tax Initiative

Posted by Duke Rountree on

 

Marion County Logo

1. Vote: March 15, 2016

2. Why: It’s on the ballot because the Board of County Commissioners unanimously approved putting this sales tax option before county voters. The county is faced with a backlog of projects (e.g., road maintenance and expansion) and equipment needs (e.g., public safety gear and vehicles). These investments were postponed to keep property taxes low during our community’s economic downturn.

3. What it covers: If passed, the 1-percent sales tax would fund specific public safety equipment needs for law enforcement, fire rescue and emergency medical services, as well as transportation capital road projects for Marion County and its municipalities (Belleview, Dunnellon, Ocala, Reddick and McIntosh). The temporary tax would be levied over a period of four years (Jan. 1, 2017-Dec. 31, 2020), and would generate an estimated $166 million over those years.

A sales tax means visitors would help pay for the roads and public safety services they use while in Marion County, since the 1% is levied on purchases, and not properties. 

To read full “Sales Tax Initiative” 

Source: http://marioncountyfl.org/about/board-of-county-commissioners/sales-tax-option

3 Reasons Why… It’s Great Time for Sellers Aug 2015

Posted by Duke Rountree on

2015 is turning into an excellent year for sellers because of rising home prices, increased demand from home buyers and happy houseless overall seller competition for most U.S. and Ocala Marion County Homeowners

 

1. Stronger demand from buyers… Demand from buyers has remained high and less competition(homes for sale), is making 2015 a fantastic year for many Marion County home owners. There is currently a larger pool of buyers, including first time buyers, boomerang buyers)previous owners who lost their home to foreclosure or short sale), and traditional owner-occupant buyers.

2. Home prices on the rise…Across the nation home and condo sellers in the first half of the year sold for an average of 13% above original asking price. Homes in the median price range have increased 6.4% since 2014 based on the June – Monthly Market Reports from Florida Association of Realtors for the Ocala/Marion County area. “So far in 2015, [sellers] are realizing the biggest gains in home price appreciation since 2007,” Blomquist says. “In June, sellers sold for above estimated market value on average for the first time in nearly two years.” Median sales prices of existing-homes pushed above the previous 2006 peak to a record high in June, the National Association of REALTORS® reported this week. The median existing-home price for all housing types was $236,400 in June – surpassing the peak median sales price set in July 2006 at $230,400.

3. Less Seller competition… New listings have decreased year over year by -2.6% and pending homes sales have increased 7%. Ocala/Marion County inventory has also decreased -8% and currently there is only a 6 month supply of inventory. This means if no other homes were placed on the market in the coming months it would take 6 months for ALL homes to be sold. Also the decrease in the number of distressed properties has fallen -11.8% and these sales accounts for less than 10% of all closed sales.

It is important to remember that location is the biggest factors in considering all of the numbers and statistics. It is important to find a trusted real estate professional that is knowledgable about your local market to discuss in further detail. Want to know the value of your home…Contact me today for a “free, no obligation” market analysis of your home and property.

 

Source: Realtormag.realtor.org – DAILY REAL ESTATE NEWS | FRIDAY, JULY 24, 2015″2015 Great Year to Sell,” RealtyTrac (July 22, 2015)

Florida Home Buyer Programs for 2015

Posted by Duke Rountree on

Florida currently has 3 home buyer programs available;

  1. FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYER Program -Florida’s First-Time Homebuyer Program offers 30-year fixed rate loans through participating lenders and lending institutions. As with most first-time homebuyer programs, income and purchase price limits do apply. A borrower must have a minimum FICO credit score of 640 to qualify.
  2. Local SHIP Program – Low-to-moderate income borrowers across the state can inquire with their local county as to what down payment and closing cost assistance is available in their given area.
  3. Florida Housing Mortgage Credit Program – The Florida Housing Mortgage Credit Certificate (MCC) Program allows first-time homeowners to claim up to $2,000 each year as a tax credit on the mortgage interest paid. The MCC program cannot be combined with the first-time homebuyer program. Similarly to the first-time homebuyer program, income and purchase price limits will apply.
For more details on Florida Housing Finance Corporation details >>>>> CLICK HERE
 Check out this FIRST TIME HOME BUYER WIZARD TOO! >>>>>>> CLICK HERE FOR WIZARD

Monthly Market Detail Report – June 2015

Posted by Duke Rountree on

In the Ocala/Marion real estate market, conditions continue to be even as fewer houses become available compared to his time last year. June 2015 found an decrease in the number of new listings, active listings and pending sales were up for single-family homes, according to information from Ocala Marion County Association or Realtors®.

The 877 new listings in June 2015 represented a -2.6 percent decrease over previous year. Active listings decreased 8 percent to 3,083 over the same period. Pending sales had a high jump in June, with the 656 pending listings in for the month, indicating a 7 percent increase over June 2014. Actual sales of single-family homes also increased over the same period.

The Ocala Marion County Association or Realtors® reports that in June, a total of 606 single homes were sold in the Ocala/Marion County area. This represents a 12.8% percent increase over sales in previous year. Prices in the Ocala/Marion County real estate market continue to climb during that year-long period. The median price of a single-family home in the Ocala/Marion County area increased 6.4 percent between June/2014 and June/2015, to $116,000.

Average home prices declined -3.7 percent during that period to $145,862. The closed sales by sales price during the year

increased in all price categories except for “less than $50k and over $1,ooo,ooo. Homes spend an average of 73 days on the market in Ocala/Marion County, which is decrease from June/2014 of 38.1 percent year-over-year. Generally higher prices, limited availability, and quicker sales of those homes that come up for sale make the Marion County real estate market a favorable environment for sellers, and because of the great value in our area buyers can find quality homes far cheaper than average rent prices for the area.

Rountree Realty provides expert real estate services to residential buyers and sellers in Marion County including Ocala, Fort McCoy, Anthony, Sparr, Citra, Salt Springs, Orange Springs and and surrounding communities. Contact us today for more information on local real estate and for professional assistance navigating this sometimes complex home market.

This report describes member activity for the association and is not confined to any specific geographic area. Statistics for each month compiled from MLS feeds on the 15th day of following month. Data released July 22, 2015, produced by the Florida REALTORS®

COSTS vs VALUE 2015 Report – Exterior Improvements Best Return on Investment

Posted by Duke Rountree on

When you begin to consider remodeling or home improvements, homeowners should consider the return on investment(ROI) or recouping of their costs. Many updates are preformed simply because the homeowner desires that upgraded kitchen or bathroom. It is important to remember that many, if not most, updates are not great ROI, because they are more for personal reasons rather than a cost vs. value.

“It can be a daunting task to even decide on what home improvement projects to undertake, let alone to physically tackle and complete them,” says National Association of Realtors (NAR) President Chris Polychron. “Realtors know what buyers are looking for during their search, and curb appeal is and always will be important. That explains why Realtors once again rated exterior projects as some of the most attractive and valuable for homeowners.”

Seeing these reports now for many years in a row I have noticed one update that always stands above the rest in terms of cost vs value; the steel entry door. According to Realtors, a new steel entry door returns about 101.8% of its costs upon resale compared to 96.6% last year. For my sellers and marketing the property to future home buyers we always start at the curb first and front entry way next. These areas are two of the most important areas to focus. Why, because first impressions do matter and the entrance to every home being marketed for sale should be warm and inviting. If you cannot afford to replace the front door, then we suggest a good painting and replacing all door hardware for that fresh and clean look.

The good news is the steel entry door is consistently the least expensive project in the report.

Rounding out the top 10 projects in terms of cost recouped:

  • Manufactured stone veneer (92.2 percent)
  • Garage door replacement – midrange project (88.5 percent)
  • Siding replacement with fiber cement (84.3 percent)
  • Garage door replacement – upscale project (82.5 percent)
  • Vinyl siding replacement (80.7 percent)
  • Wood deck addition (80.5 percent)
  • Minor kitchen remodel (79.3 percent)
  • Wood window replacement (78.8 percent)
  • Foam-backed vinyl siding replacement (77.6 percent)

© 2015 Florida Realtors® http://www.floridarealtors.org/NewsAndEvents/article.cfm?p=2&id=317926